


Wands, Red Cloaks, and The Wicked

by Saber Glazebrook (Saberius_Prime)



Series: Wands and Red Cloaks [4]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Herbie Movies, Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fairy Tales, Magic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-10
Updated: 2016-05-10
Packaged: 2018-06-07 15:06:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 16,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6810304
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saberius_Prime/pseuds/Saber%20Glazebrook
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Saber, Emma and Henry have no memory of their families after crossing the town line a year ago. But when an old friend returns to warn Emma, and Saber that they're families are in danger, the two friends must return to Storybrooke to save the people of the town once more. Because something wicked is coming. And it won't stop until it's wish is fulfilled..</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. New York City Serenade

Location: The Enchanted Forest, Time: 1 Year Ago

3rd Person POV

A brown horse ran down a dirt road, carrying a man on horseback. The rider was pushing his horse as quickly as possible. He was late. The rider and his horse stopped at a stone gazebo in a field. Someone was there. A woman. She was setting out a plate of food. Seeing her lover, she stood up and ran over to him.

“You're late.”

“I came as quickly as I could.”

“I'm hungry and I miss you.”

“You're always hungry now, Aurora. We have a little boy or girl on the way.”

“And cranky. I'm sorry. I know there's royal responsibilities, Philip..I just..”

“None that matches my responsibilities to you..and our family. I'm the one who should be sorry.”

Suddenly, a loud crack of thunder was heard. Purple storm clouds were rolling in.

“What is that? Is..is it a storm?”

Suddenly, the two horses they owned freaked and ran as fast as they could away from the scene.

“That's no storm. That's magic. Come. We need to get you to safety now!”

Aurora and Philip ran from the clouds. The purple clouds swarmed the area and began to dissipate.

“Are you alright, Aurora?”

“Yeah..yeah, I think so. What was that?”

“I don't know..”

The two royals looked behind them, and saw a crowd of people standing there.

The seven dwarfs, Hook, Charming, Snow, Granny, Regina, Belle, Neal, Red and Anita looked around each other.

Anita looked at her mother.

“Mama? I want papa back.”

“Papa can't come back, sweetheart.”

Aurora gasped.

“Snow..what happened?”

Snow looked up, and spoke sadly.

“We're back.”

Our World  
A Year Later

Saber's POV

I sat down at the pub and ordered a drink. A redhead down the bar glanced at me, smiling. I paid no notice. Finally, she gave up, and left. Suddenly, the man who asked me about Emma sat down next to me.

“Hello, again.”

“Mr. Jones...what are you doing here?”

“Your family needs you.”

“My family died during a war. I have no family.”

“Regina put those memories there.”

“Who the hell is Regina?”

“Never mind that, the point is you need to remember. I have the way to help.”

He pulled out my wand.

“How did you?”

“I know a lot, Saber. I can help you remember your family. They need you.”

I snatched my wand from him.

“I don't need your help.”

I left the pub in a huff. As I walked along, a thought crossed my mind.

“What do I have to lose?”

I headed down the alley and into a nearby telephone booth. Pressing a small button, I flooed down into the American Ministry of Magic. Heading over to the security gate, my wand was scanned and I was let in. Hurrying to my office,(Yes I had one.), I buzzed for my secretary. She came in.

“Yes, Mr. Glazebrook?”

“I have a question. Who here can check memories, and look for tampered ones?”

“That would be Miss Winklebright on Level 5.”

“Is she in right now?”

“Uh..”

She fumbled through her notes.

“Yes. Do you want me to schedule an appointment?”

“No. Tell her it's an emergency. But keep it on the down low.”

“Yes, Sir.”

A few minutes later, she came down to my office.

“ Mr. Glazebrook? What's seems to be the trouble?”

“I think..my memories have been tampered with. Can you help me?”

“I can. Sit down.”

I did as told, and sat down. After she muttered a few incantations, I fell into a deep sleep. Memories flashed by in front of me. A red hood, a girl with black hair, and green eyes, with a tint of gold in them. A younger girl, no older then twelve, who looked just like the older girl except she had the color of my eyes. I woke up in a sweat.

“Red...”

“Mr. Glazebrook? Are you alright?”

“I'm fine. Get my secretary.”

She ran to get my secretary and brought her in.

“Clear my schedule, and have my car brought around to the telephone booth entrance.”

She nodded and rushed out. I grabbed my black leather jacket that I wore the most back in Storybrooke. I grabbed my wand and headed out of my office. Flooing back up to the telephone booth entrance, I got into my car, and pulled out my wand.

“Point Me, Killian Jones.”

My wand hovered and pointed it to the pub.

“He's there still, seriously?”

I got out of my Mustang and headed into the pub. Killian was there at the counter.

“Psst..Killian.”

Hook looked over my way, and headed over to me.

“Saber..glad to see you remember.”

“We'll have time for a reunion later. Where is Red?”

“In Storybrooke. It came back. A couple days ago.”

“Right. Are you coming?”

“I have to make Emma remember.”

“How?”

He pulled out a small bottle, smirking.

“Memory potion.”

“Why couldn't you give that to me?”

“Because I only had enough to make one dose.”

“Okay. I'm heading to Storybrooke. Hopefully, I'll see you there.”

“Right. Well, you best be off, mate. I have a Damsel in Distress to rescue.”

I just gave him a look, and headed out to my Mustang.

“Hold on, Red. I'm coming.”

A couple hours later, I arrived at Storybrooke. As I drove across the line, I felt the familiar magic wash over me, but it felt different. Slightly colder. Soon I arrived in the town square. The first rays of sun was starting to peak over the horizon. Running up the stairs into the apartment building I lived in, I stopped in front of my door. I gently knocked. My throat felt dry. What if she didn't remember me?

The door opened. There stood my daughter. Just as I remembered her.

“..Anita?”

“Daddy!”

She pounced on me.

“I missed you, daddy.”

“And I you, sweetheart. Where's your mother?”

“Mama!”

Red came to the door, holding a baby boy in her arms.

“Saber! Oh!”

She hugged me. I kissed her.

“I missed you so much, my love.”

“And I you. Saber..this is your son. Named after your father and your best friend. Billy James Glazebrook.”

I gently took my son into my arms. He gurgled gently.

“Hey, Billy..I'm sorry that I wasn't there for you when you were born, but I'm here now.”

Red smiled.

“Do you want to come in?”

I nodded, tears falling down my face. At last I was home. Together with my family. But little did I know that a certain witch had come to town. A very wicked witch.


	2. Witch Hunt

Location: The Enchanted Forest, The Queen's Castle, Time: One Year Ago

3rd Person POV

Green hands roamed across Regina's desk, picking up random pieces of jewelry.

“Mmm, look at all her things. Onyx, Black Pearl, Diamond.”

Picking up the diamond earrings, the Wicked Witch placed it against one of her ears in front of a mirror.

“A family could live off what this is worth. And she just left it all behind.”

She dropped the earring down on the desk. She rummaged through a nearby wardrobe.

“Such pretty things..all wasted on her.”

Grabbing a random outfit she tossed it to the floor, before picking out a gray one.

“Ahh, now this could work.”

With a poof of green smoke, she changed into the outfit, and went over to a mirror.

“Now, that's, how you wear a dress.”

A screech that sounded awful like a monkey came from behind her. One of her flying monkeys had landed, and she smiled.

“I know I look lovely. Now go find the Evil Queen and let her know that I'm here. And no..there's no need to be gentle..”

The Flying Monkey squawked before taking off, and flying out of the castle.

Location: Outside the Queen's Castle

Red's POV

I winced as my unborn son kicked my ribs.

“I know you miss your father, sweetheart.”

I rubbed my swollen abdomen softly. Snow came over.

“You okay, Red?”

“I'm fine, Snow. Seems like old times, doesn't it? Except not running for Regina, but with her.”

Snow smiled.

“She's changed. I have to believe for the better.”

“I hope it sticks. But regardless, she doesn't look too good. If she hadn't tried to hurt us so many times, I might be worried about her.”

“I'll talk to her.”

Snow went over to Regina to talk with her, when suddenly, a loud screeching noise was heard. A monkey with what appeared to be wings flew down and charged towards Regina. But a little boy was in the way.

“Papa!”

Robin rushed to grab him.

“Roland!”

Regina grabbed Roland, and moved him out of the way as the monkey nearly hit them. Regina stood in front of Roland.

“Not so fast.”

Waving her hand, she turned the flying monkey into a stuffed monkey toy. She turned to Roland, who now was picked up by his father, holding the stuffed monkey toy out.

“See? Not so scary. Now you have a new toy.”

Roland took the toy as Robin nodded at Regina.

“Thank you.”

Location: Storybrooke, Maine, Time: One Year Later

Saber's POV

I sat in the living room of Granny's Bed and Breakfast with Mary Margaret, David, Hook and Emma. Hook had succeeded in getting Emma's memories back, and the two of them had returned two days after I arrived back in Storybrooke. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough memory potion for Henry, and thus, he didn't remember Storybrooke or it's residents. 

Emma turned to us.

“Okay, Henry's asleep upstairs. If he wakes up, you four are helping me with the case, okay? So, what the hell happened here? I mean, besides the obvious.”

She gestured to Mary Margaret's swollen abdomen.

Mary Margaret sighed.

“We don't know. We watched you, Henry, and Saber drive across the town line. Regina started to cast her spell to take us all back to the Enchanted Forest, and then...everything went black..”

David continued.

“And the next thing we remember is waking up in our beds like it was any other day in Storybrooke.”

“Except it clearly wasn't.”

Mary Margaret gently placed her hands on her stomach.

Hook spoke up.

“Almost harvest time, but you can't remember the planting? That's bad luck, mate.”

I almost threw up at Hook's statement.

“Some of us are trying to eat, you know?”

I continued to eat some of the leftovers from Granny that I had from earlier, shoving it down my throat like it was water at an oasis in the desert. I missed her cooking.

Emma spoke up.

“Clearly, a year has passed. I was in New York. I know it did.”

David sighed.

“And we don't know where the hell we were. We don't know if we even left Storybrooke.”

“Aye, you did.”

We all looked over at Hook.

“I was with you all.”

“In the Enchanted Forest,” said Mary Margaret in shock.

“Regina's spell brought us back. We spent a brief time with a prince and a princess named Philip and Aurora. But I wasn't feeling the community spirit, so I ventured off on my own. Last I saw of you lot, you were making your way to Regina's castle.”

Emma sighed.

“And now you're cursed. Why doesn't that surprise me?”

Mary Margaret shook her head.

“Regina seems as clueless as the rest of us. I'm not so sure she was involved in this.”

“So she says.”

I finally swallowed my food, and spoke up.

“I don't understand. If you left the Enchanted Forest before the curse, Hook, how did you know to find Emma, and me, and bring us to Storybrooke?”

“As I was sailing the realms, a bird landed on my ship's wheel with a note instructing me to retrieve you and Emma, and bring you both back here. There was a small vial of memory potion tied to it's leg.”

Mary Margaret spoke up.

“Who sent it?”

“I assumed you did.”

David sighed.

“Message via bird, that does sound like you.”

Suddenly, the door went flying open as Leroy, and Happy stormed in.

“What is it?”

Leroy groaned.

“We lost another one. We're down to five now.”

Happy rushed forward.

“Four, actually..Bashful's not answering.”

Emma was confused.

“Wait. What's going on?”

“Thank god you're back, sister.”

Mary Margaret sighed.

“It's not just our memories that are missing. Ever since we woke up people have begun disappearing.”

“Whoever cursed us is picking us off, one by one.”

I looked at the dwarves.

“Who exactly is missing?”

David sighed.

“Aside from those dwarves, we're not sure. There's been a lot of confusion over the last few days. It's been hard to keep track of everyone.”

Emma looked over at her father.

“Wait..Neal..is he here?”

“Well..we haven't found him yet,” replied Mary Margaret.

“So..he might have been taken too.”

I looked over at Emma.

“Or he might not have been swept up into the curse at all. He'll show up, Emma. He always does.”

Emma stood up.

“There's only one way we're going to figure this all out. We need to get your memories back.”

I looked over.

“And how are we going to do that?”

“By figuring who took them in the first place.”

Later, after a few hours of spending time with my family, Emma, Regina, Mary Margaret, David, Hook, and I were discussing what we learned so far.

Mary Margaret was shocked.

“The townsfolk are being turned into flying monkeys?”

Hook nodded.

“Yes. Little John of Robin Hood's Merry Men was bitten by one of the monkeys, and therefore took on simian form..with the added bonus of wings..”

“Do you think that's what happened to missing dwarves, too?”

David sighed.

“It would explain why we haven't found any trace of them.”

Emma looked over.

“And Neal?”

“No sign of him either..so..yeah it's possible.”

“Wouldn't be the first flying monkey I've dated..”

Regina spoke up.

“The person who escaped our trap disappeared in a cloud of green smoke. And now there's flying monkeys in this town? I think we know exactly who cursed us.”

Emma spoke up, being sarcastic.

“The Wicked Witch of the West?”

All of us looked at her, knowingly.

“Seriously? She's real too?”

Hook chuckled.

“Says the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming.”

I gasped. Mary Margaret looked over at me.

“What's wrong?”

“What's the name of the midwife you told me about earlier?”

“Zelena..why?”

“She's the Wicked Witch.”

Everyone looked at me.

“What?”

“Robin Hood and I used to work together..don't ask why. The point of the matter is that the Sheriff of Nottingham was going to shut down his Tavern because of the taxes that Robin hadn't paid...”

Sherwood Forest  
33 Years Ago

Saber's POV(Voiceover)

“I was sitting down at a table, drinking some ale, when the Sheriff wandered in.”

“Well..I had to see this for myself. Robin of Locksley..walking the straight and narrow. Nice apron.”

“Robin turned to the sheriff, and asked him..”

“What can I do for you, Nottingham?”

“Nottingham told Robin that the taxes were overdue. Robin told him that he needed more time to get the money. The Sheriff gave him two days. Later that evening, Robin and I were cleaning up the tavern's floors when Rumpelstiltskin came in. He asked us to steal something for him from the Wicked Witch. A potion called the Elixir of the Wounded Heart. It could mend any pain of the heart. Physically, emotionally..you name it.”

“So we were told to go to Oz. We were given a portal and we landed in Oz. We met a friend there. A man by the name of Will. He asked us to get him some of the potion. I kept watch while Robin went inside. Soon, he came back out, breathing heavily. He told me he got the Elixir, but only one vial. The Wicked Witch had caught him. We went back to Will, and told him we failed. Will told us the reason why he wanted the Elixir. He wanted to mend his heart because his sister died from drowning in lake. We believed it. We went back home, thinking we had the Elixir, but we didn't. We had failed. Robin realized that thieving could have a good use. That night, Robin of Locksley became Robin Hood, Robber of the rich, and giver to the poor.”

Present Day

Mary Margaret sighed.

“What do we do?”

“I have an idea. We know who Zelena is. But she's doesn't know that we know. Let's keep playing her game until we know what she wants. Then we turn the tables on her.”

Emma nodded.

“It's a good idea.”

Mary Margaret sighed.

“If it helps us in the long run, then I'll do it.”

David shook his head.

“Mary Margaret, you can't do this.”

“We have to. I don't want to go through losing our child again. I'm sure she's after our child.”

David nodded.

“Alright. We'll do it.”

Emma sighed.

“What could she want with Storybrooke?”

As the stars twinkled outside the apartment complex, we couldn't help but worry about what Zelena had planned.


	3. New Arrivals

Location: Storybrooke, Maine, Time: Late Morning

Saber's POV

It had been a few weeks since Zelena's true identity had been revealed. Zelena wanted to change the past to get everything Regina had. Turns out, Zelena was Cora's first born, therefore making Regina her half-sister. I was determined not to let her win. Nobody in town wanted her to win.

Rumpelstiltskin was alive too. His son, Baelfire, also known as Neal, sacrificed his life to resurrect Rumple. However, Zelena tricked Neal into doing so, so she could control Rumple with his dagger. Emma was on a path to vengeance.

Me, Regina, and Emma were putting up a protection spell next to Mary Margaret's room at the hospital. She had gone into labor and Zelena needed her child to travel back into the past.

“I really hope this protection spell holds, otherwise we're going to be erased from existence.”

Regina sighed.

“It'll hold if Emma's brand of magic is stronger then Zelena's..”

Hook came in, and began to talk with Emma. David came out, and convinced Emma to take Hook with her. I stayed behind to be a part of the defense against Zelena in case she came to the hospital.

A few minutes later, Leroy shouted.

“Incoming!”

Rushing up to the front of the hospital, I stood next to Robin and his Merry Men.

“Thought you could use some magical backup.”

“Thanks. Alright, men. Steady, men. Steady. Aim true for Little John!”

Zelena waved her hand, and we blacked out. A few minutes later, I was being shook.

“Saber, wake up!”

“Red?”

I opened my eyes, and saw Red in front of me.

“Zelena got the baby.”

“What? Help me up.”

Red helped me up.

“Where's my wand?”

She handed me my wand, and I got to my feet, running down the hall to find David coming towards me. His face was full of anger.

“David? Where are you going?”

“To get my son back.”

Regina turned to him.

“You're going to get yourself killed. David, think about this.”

“What's there to think about?”

“What's going on here?”

Emma appeared, followed by Hook. I turned to them.

“What happened?”

David turned to his daughter.

“Did you find Zelena?”

“I did..but I couldn't stop her..”

“She took your brother.”

“Because I failed?”

Hook turned to her.

“We're all still here, so you haven't failed.”

David nodded.

“Hook's right. Come on.”

Emma sighed.

“Wait...Zelena took my magic.”

Regina was furious.

“How the hell did that happen?!”

“Doesn't matter how..it just happened.”

Regina sighed.

“Great..now we don't have a way to defeat her.”

Henry looked up.

“That's not true. You can do it.”

“Sweetheart, I don't think I can survive round three with my sister.”

David sighed.

“Glinda was pretty specific. She said only the purveyor of the strongest light magic can defeat her.”

Henry turned to his adoptive mother.

“Zelena only beat you because you were using dark magic against her, mom.”

“That's all I have, Henry.”

I gasped.

“No..you used true love's kiss on Henry, Regina. You broke the curse with it. That was light magic.”

Regina thought for a moment.

“Okay. Let's get this done.”

Location: Farmhouse, Storybrooke, Maine, Time: Early Afternoon.

We soon arrived at the farm house. We could hear Zelena inside talking to Rumple.

“Don't worry, Dearie. Once all this is over, you won't remember a thing.”

David called out.

“It isn't over yet.”

We stood in front of Zelena.

“And who's going to stop me? Certainly not the Savior.”

Aiming my wand at Zelena, I nodded to David.

“Go. Get the baby. We got your back.”

Regina spoke to Zelena as we surround her.

“Zelena, stop now. We're not going to let you succeed.”

Zelena chuckled, and waved the dagger.

“Rid me of those pests, Rumple.”

Rumpelstiltskin knocked us over with a wave of his hand. Meanwhile, Zelena was using her magic to hold Regina off the ground, and choking her.

“Only light magic can harm me. And you're as dark as they come, Regina. It was your destiny to be this way. And it will also be your undoing!”

Regina struggled.

“Don't tell me what I can be!”

“I tried to be good once, but it wasn't in the cards. This is who I am, and it's who you are!”

Regina noticed Robin grabbed her heart. She smirked.

“You're wrong, sis.”

A flash of white shone from Regina's hands.

Zelena gasped.

“What are you doing?”

“Changing..”

She let the magic loose at Zelena, who went flying back, dropping the dagger out of her hands. Zelena sat up and gasped as Regina walked over.

“How?”

“I make my own destiny.”

Ripping Zelena's pendant from her neck, Zelena lost her magic. Her time portal disappeared. A screech sounded as David began fighting a flying monkey, and it suddenly transformed back into Little John. 

Moving him aside, David picked up the baby boy.

I called out to him.

“David. Is he okay?”

“Yeah. He can handle anything Just like his big sister.”

Regina smiled.

“You've failed, Zelena. You're not going anywhere.”

“I beg to differ.”

Rumpelstilskin summoned his magic, and pulled Zelena towards him.

“I'm gonna make you pay for everything you've done to me.”

“What are you waiting for? Just do it!”

“With pleasure.”

“No!”

Rumple's hand stopped moving as Regina held the dagger out.

“Enough. This ends now.”

“After everything this witch has done...you're gonna protect her?”

“Good magic stopped her, Rumple. And good magic doesn't exact vengeance.”

“She killed my son, Regina!”

“How many lives have we taken just to get what we want?”

“You can't be serious.”

“I am. Heroes don't kill.”

Zelena scoffed.

“So now you're a hero?”

“Today, I am.”

It was over. We had beaten Zelena.

Location: Storybrooke Hospital, Time: Late afternoon

After locking Zelena up, Mary Margaret's baby was returned, and everything seemed normal. But things were far from over.

Location: Storybrooke, Maine, Time: The Next Day, Late evening

We sat in the diner, eagerly waiting for the name of Mary Margaret, and David's baby. Apparently, sometime late the night before, Zelena killed herself with residual magic, and her last wish was fulfilled. Her time portal opened, and somehow closed.

Just then, Emma ran in and hugged her parents.

Soon, David spoke up.

“Um..excuse me..If I could have everyone's attention for just a moment. This coronation ceremony is something we looked forward to for a long time. The arrival of our new son has been a cause of great joy for our family, and we hope you can share in it as we name him for a hero. Someone who saved every one of us. Who we loved, and he loved back.”

Mary Margaret smiled.

“People of Storybrooke, it is our great joy to introduce you to our son...Prince Neal.”

Everyone clapped gently for the Charming family. Then the party when sour. Turns out Emma brought back Robin's wife, Marian, from the past, and ruined Regina's relationship with him.

Regina gave Emma a cold stare.

“You better hope to hell that you didn't bring anything else back.”

Location: Farmhouse Barn, Time: Late Evening.

3rd Person POV

On the floor of the barn, in a small pile of dirt lay a golden object. It was an urn. Suddenly, the lid popped open, and a blue liquid poured out, filling the crevices in the ground from Zelena's time portal. The blue liquid pooled together at the middle, rising up, and forming into a figure. Arms were formed, and hair appeared. The blue liquid crackled and fizzed as pale white skin, platinum blonde-hair, and an dress made of ice appeared. The woman pulled off one of her gloves, and launched a blast of ice at the urn, freezing it, making it shatter into pieces. She walked out of the barn, leaving a trail of ice behind her.

However, the woman didn't notice that another being occupied the barn. Underneath a tarp, a small round object was shaking madly, like it was scared. Metallic whines were heard. After a while the object stopped shaking. Suddenly, the tarp lifted up, revealing dirty white paint, red, white, and blue racing stripes, and headlights. The headlights moved side to side as if the car was looking around. The car moved slowly forward, and the tarp fell off, revealing the it. It was a 1963 Volkswagen Beetle. On both of it's doors was a faded 53 as well as on it's hood, and it's trunk door.

“Meeeeep?” asked the bug questioningly.

With a cough, and a sputter, the old bug started it's engine, and drove out of the barn.


	4. A Champion Returns Part 1

Location: Storybrooke, Maine, Time: 1 Week after the Shattered Sight Curse ended

3rd Person POV

A small white 1963 Volkswagen Bug with racing stripes, and the number 53 rolled into town on flat tires. The Bug made groans, and whines as it limped its way over to the Marine Garage. The Bug's name was Herbie. He was a racing car used by the famous racer, Jim Douglas. Over the years, Herbie swapped owners, and then was left behind by his previous owners. Now while it was an accident, Herbie didn't realize this, and went off to find them. However, he got lost along the way, and ended up in Storybrooke.

Herbie pulled into the parking lot of the garage, and fell asleep, not noticing a young man watching him.

Henry's POV

I watched the Bug roll to a stop in front of the garage. There was something magical about it. Crossing the street, I went over to the Bug. This was a sweet ride. It looked like Mom’s bug, but it was obviously a race car. I pulled my cell phone out and dialed Mom.

“Hey, kid, where are you?” Mom asked.

“I’m down at the Marine Garage. Can you come down and bring Mom and Hook.” 

She agreed and we hung up. I walked around the car again. This would be the perfect first car. After all, I was turning 16 soon and needed my own car. It didn’t look like anyone owned this. I mean, it had just appeared, rolling into Storybrooke—on its own….

Mom and Hook walked around the corner as I was checking out the engine. 

“What the hell is that?” Mom asked. 

“Luv, it appears to be what you call a car,” Hook answered

“Mom, you’ve got to check this out. This car just rolled into town. No one was driving it.”

“Someone’s magic?” Hook asked.

Mom raised her hands toward the car. 

“No, there’s no magic.” She stated.

“Swan, what now?” My other mom Regina had arrived. 

“No, Mom I asked her to call you. Look!” I pointed to the car.

“It looks like a pile of bolts,” Regina said. “Magic?” she asked Emma. 

“None. Henry said it just rolled in.” 

“It can’t be without some magic.” Regina raised her own hands toward the car. “Hmm. I don’t feel anything.”

“Can I keep it? I could learn to drive.”

“WHAT?!” 

“No,” Both of my mom’s answered together. 

“Driving is too dangerous,” Regina stated. “What’s wrong with walking?” 

“We don’t even know where this car comes from or who it belongs to.”

“If you don’t mind my saying, I think Henry is mature enough to have his own car. I mean the lad has lived in New York and I can’t think of a more dangerous place. Other than Neverland.” Hook said.

“This coming from the one handed man,” Regina said, walking around the car. 

“Maybe he’s right, Regina. Maybe it is time for us to let Henry grow up a little. We can have Leroy check the car over to make sure it’s sound.”

“Are you crazy, Swan?” Regina yelled. “No. I don’t want him driving.”

“Regina, we can’t keep him a child forever.” 

“Please, Mom,” I begged. “I’ll be careful. You and Emma can teach me.”

Mom sighed and I knew I had her. 

“Fine. First thing, the dwarfs check it out, oil change, new tires, etc. I don’t want you driving around in a clunker.”

“Thank you, thank you, Mom” I cried hugging Regina. I then hugged Emma. I had a car!

Location: Storybrooke, Maine, Marine Garage 

Leroy worked on Herbie’s engine while Dopey changed the oil. Sneezy worked on cleaning the interior. 

“I don’t know why anyone would want this old bucket of bolts,” Leroy grumbled. “Everything is worn out. We’re gonna have to redo this entire engine. How did this hunk of junk even get here?’ 

Suddenly the trunk lid came down and hit Leroy in the head.

“What the hell?” Leroy came out from under the lid, rubbing his head. “Dopey, what did you do?” 

Dopey rolled out from under Herbie, oil covering his face.

“How did you get oil on yourself?” Leroy asked. Dopey just shrugged. 

Inside the car, Sneezy stirred up so much dirt and dust that he started.. well.. sneezing. 

Herbie’s glove box popped open, revealing a box of tissues. 

“Thank you,” Sneezy said, taking a tissue. He looked around wondering where the box came from.

Leroy just shook his head and continued working on Herbie. 

Location: Outside Granny’s Diner, Storybrooke, Maine 

3rd Person POV

It had been a couple days since Henry’s bug had been repaired, and the parts replaced. Emma sat inside the bug with Henry, teaching him how to drive.

“Okay, kid, the first thing to do when you take the driver’s seat is adjust everything. Put the seat in a position that feels comfortable. You don’t want to be too close to the dashboard, but you don’t want to be sitting in the back seat either. You also want to be able to see over the steering wheel. 

Henry adjusted his seat.

“Your mirrors next. You need to be able to see what’s behind you.” 

Henry adjusted the mirrors.

Emma then explained how to shift and clutch. Finally, after what seemed like hours to Henry, she let him put it into 1st gear. 

As soon as Herbie felt Henry let the clutch out, Herbie jerked into motion and took off, throwing Emma back against her seat.

“Whoa, kid. Slow down!” she yelled as Herbie headed toward the toll bridge. 

“I’m not doing anything!” Henry yelled back. 

Herbie made a U-turn at the toll bridge and headed back to Granny’s Diner where he stopped suddenly and flew open Emma’s door. 

“What the hell?” Emma cried. “I thought we were going to take this slow.”

“It’s not my fault! It just took off.”

Emma got out and headed into the diner. Henry stayed in the car.

“What just happened?” Henry said out loud. “I bet Leroy did something.” 

Henry got out and walked around Herbie. He then opened the trunk and stared down at the engine. He didn’t see the ragtop slowly slide open. 

Inside the diner, Emma threw up her hands as she walked towards Regina.

“He is all yours!” she said, sliding down into the booth next to Hook. 

“Well that didn’t take long,” Regina said smirking. 

“He drove like he was in the Indianapolis 500. And he was only in 1st gear!! He did a U-turn and came back here and somehow flung my door open.”

“Emma, I think you’re over exaggerating.” Regina replied grabbing her purse and sliding out of the booth. “I think I can handle this.” 

Emma and Hook watched Regina walk out of the diner.

Outside, Henry was still checking the engine. 

“Ok, so Emma’s turned the wheel over to me,” Regina stated as Henry slammed the trunk lid shut. 

He moved toward the driver’s door. Regina opened her door then leaned over the top of Herbie. 

“I don’t like that you’re learning on this car. You should be in a safer car, one that at least has airbags. This car could be a death trap.”

Suddenly, Herbie’s ragtop slid shut, catching Regina’s fingers. 

“Son of a… What the hell?” Regina cried grabbing her hand. “This car is possessed.” 

Regina walked around Herbie, feeling for magic.

“I don’t understand. It looks like a normal car. There’s some kind of magic here that I can’t feel.”

Emma and Hook walked out of the diner.

“Now what happened?” Emma asked 

“This car is possessed. I bet Gold would know something about it.”

“Fortunately for us, Gold is gone,” Emma replied, putting her hands on Herbie. 

“I wonder if Belle would know something,” Regina headed towards Gold’s Pawn Shop. 

“I’m going over to the library. It looks like some sort of race car.” Henry took off at a run towards the library. 

 

Location-Storybrooke Public Library

Henry is rolling through the microfiche looking for anything on the car. 

“Come on, I know there’s gotta be something here.” 

Suddenly, Henry stopped at a headline that said “Little Car Amazes Fans With A Big Finish” Wednesday, November 28, 1963. 

“He was a race car!” Henry cried, reading the article. “Wow, he was famous! He won several races? Really? His driver was… Jim Douglas.”

Henry slid over to the library computer and Googled Jim Douglas, race driver. 

“Oh my gosh! He’s still alive! I gotta talk to this guy.” 

After searching some more, Henry found where Jim Douglas lived and even a phone number. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed the number. An answering machine picked up.

“Hello, hi, um, this is Henry Mills. I live in Storybrooke, Maine and I think I may have your old race car…”

“Hello, this is Jim Douglas. You found Herbie?” 

“Well it found me.” 

“That would be Herbie. He seems to know when people need him.” 

“What? He’s a guy?” Henry was confused. 

“It’s kind of hard to explain over the phone. You said you’re in Maine? I’ll be in Augusta in a couple of weeks for a race.”

“You still race?”

Jim laughed. “No, it’s mostly for promotions.” He gave Henry the location of the track and they agreed to meet.


	5. A Champion Returns Part 2

Location: Blanchard Loft- Dead of Night

Henry’s POV- 

Since my moms’ refused to teach me to drive, I decided to take Herbie out after dark and teach myself. When I was sure everyone was asleep, I snuck down the stairs and out the door. I never disobeyed my moms’ or grandparents so I was a bit nervous. 

I left my car behind the building and not wanting to wake anyone, I rolled it backwards away from the building. Remembering to give it gas, clutch and shift, I was finally able to go forward enough to get on the main road. I was going to head off of Main St so I’m not seen. 

“This is not as hard as it seems,” I said out loud. 

I was feeling confident as I cruised along. Suddenly, the car screeched to a halt.

“What the heck?” 

Thinking there must be something wrong with the car, I started to open the door only to have it slammed shut and the car made a complete U-turn in the road. I was not steering this car. 

“Um… dang it. Mom must have put a curse on the car.” 

I slammed up against the door as the car took a quick right hand turn onto a dirt road. I had no idea where I was going. I tried braking and nothing happened. I tried to turn off the ignition and nothing happened. Where was Mom taking me? 

The car was zooming along and I had no control of it. All of a sudden I saw lights up ahead. Was I going to find both of my moms’ waiting for me, waiting to lecture me? 

Instead of my moms’ I saw several cars parked by the troll bridge. It looked like some kids from school. My car finally pulled over and stopped. As I got out, I noticed Paige Grace from school. 

“Hey, Paige,” I said. “What’s going on?” 

“Henry, what are you doing here?” Paige asked.

“I could ask you the same thing.” I replied looking around. 

There were a couple of cars sitting side by side. I wondered what was going on out here. 

“Henry, you really shouldn’t be here.” Paige insisted. 

Paige grabbed my arm to pull me toward my car. 

“Hey, Mills,” I heard a deep voice behind me. “What’s a bookworm like you doing out here?”

“Jon, leave him alone,” Paige said. 

It was Jon Sherman, Storybrooke High’s quarterback. 

“Um, I was just out driving around,” I replied. 

“Well, you might want to mosey on home. Nothing to see here.” 

Before I could respond another kid from Storybrooke High called out to Jon. 

“Hey! Are we going to race or what?” 

“Shut up, Jones!” Jon yelled.

“Henry, please go,” whispered Paige. 

“Yeah, Henry, listen to my girl. This ain’t no place for you and your hunk of junk.”

Suddenly, the headlights of my car flashed on and blinded Jon. 

“What the hell?” Jon cried. 

“Sorry,” I said as I tried to shut off the lights. Instead they beamed brighter.   
“That’s it!” yelled Jon. “You and I are racing, down to Spinning Wheel Circle and back to the toll bridge. If you win, you get to live. And if I win, I get to trash your car. I know I’m going to win.” 

The lights of my car turned off and the door flew open. Challenge accepted. 

“Um, alright.”

“Henry, please don’t do this,” Paige begged. 

I ignored Paige and got in the car. It started right up and by itself pulled up beside Jon’s Ford Mustang. 

“Babe, give us the green,” Jon said, slapping Paige on her butt. 

Once Jon and I were side by side, Paige stood out in front of us and raised her scarf. Both cars revved. Paige dropped her scarf and Jon took off. I hit the accelerator and my car popped a wheelie and took off after Jon’s Mustang.

To get to Spinning Wheel Circle we had to drive through town. I prayed no one would be out and about. With my luck, Grumpy would be coming back from The Rabbit Hole, see us and report us to Grandpa. Or worse… Mom. 

All the shops on Apple St were dark as I followed Jon, trying to get ahead of him. As we drifted around the circle on Spinning Wheel Circle, I managed to pull ahead, but as we neared the toll bridge, Jon tapped my rear bumper and I spun out of control. 

“This is it.” I thought. “I’m gonna die!” 

Suddenly, my little car shifted into reverse and I was pushed forward in my seat. I was driving backwards!! Jon again tried to swerve to hit me, but instead my car bounced up on its rear bumper causing Jon to spin out and hit a nearby tree. My car did a 180 and crossed the finish line on all four tires. 

By the time I pulled to a stop, everyone had surrounded me and my little car. Paige pulled open the driver’s door and pulled me out, hugging me.

“Are you okay?” she cried.

Before I could answer, I saw Jon pull himself out of his car. He was really mad. A couple of his buddies tried to talk to him, but he shoved them aside, and continued to stride toward me. 

“What the hell did you do to that car, Mills?” Jon yelled once he reached the bridge. “Did your mommy use her magic?” 

“Jon, just go. Henry won, fair and square,” Paige stated.   
“I’m not going anywhere without you,” Jon grabbed Paige’s arm. 

“I’m not going anywhere with you,” Paige jerked her arm away from Jon.

“Come on, Jon. Henry’s mom may not have done anything, but if she finds out what we just did, she might do something worse!” Keith, a friend of Jon’s urged. 

“You’re coming with me, Paige!” Jon walked around the front of my car. “Let her go, Mills, or your car is scrap.” 

Suddenly, the hood of my car popped up, hitting Jon under the chin, throwing him backwards onto the ground. 

The crowd gasped and backed away from the car. 

“Henry, let’s go!” Paige jumped into the passenger seat of my car. 

I dove into the driver’s seat and we took off. 

Location: Jefferson’s house

“Thanks for bringing me home,” Paige said as I walked her toward the house.

“Yeah, no problem. Thanks for sticking up for me.” 

“I’d stay away from Jon for a while. He was pretty mad.”

“Yeah.”

“I gotta go in,” Paige stood on tiptoes and kissed my cheek. “Good night.” 

I watched Paige run up the steps and into her house. Smiling, I returned to my car. As I opened the door, my cell phone rang. 

“Hello?”

“Henry Mills?” 

“Yes?” 

“This is Gretchen Lamb. I am Jim Douglas’ assistant.”

“Oh, yeah. Hi.”

“I’m sorry, Mr. Mills. I’m calling to cancel your appointment with Mr. Douglas.”

“What? No, I need to talk to him.”

“That is impossible. Mr. Douglas died last night.”

I stood there, stunned. The one person, who knew about my car, was gone. This car was not just any car. 

“Mr. Mills?”

“Yeah, ah, I’m still here.”

“Mr. Douglas told me you have Herbie.”

“Yeah, um, yeah, I do.”

“Mr. Douglas penned a letter to you. I am FedExing it to you today. It will explain about Herbie.” 

“Um, okay. And Ms. Lamb? Will there be a service?”

“Yes, one week from today.”

“I’d like to come. And bring Herbie.”

“Jim would have liked that. It’s at the racetrack where your appointment with Mr. Douglas was. You know the way?”

“Yeah. Thanks for letting me know.”

“You’re welcome. Have a good day, Mr. Mills.”

The call ended with a click. I sighed, and looked down at the car. Taking a deep breath, I spoke.

“Herbie?”

“Meep-meep,” beeped Herbie,

“You know you’re previous owner, Jim Douglas, right?”

Herbie’s front dipped down once as if he was nodding.

“He…he died, Herbie,.”

“Meep?”

Suddenly, his headlights flashed, and he started shaking. His windshield wipers turned on as well as wiper fluid went across his windshield. He was crying.

“Shh..Herbie. It’s okay. Listen, there’s a service a week from today. Do you want to go?”

Herbie stopped shaking, and dipped his hood again.

“Okay. Let’s go home, and I’ll pack my things. We leave tonight.”

Herbie opened his door, and I hopped in.

“I’ll drive, Herbie.”

Herbie whined softly as we headed back to the loft.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I made this little note in dedication of the memory of Dean Jones, who played Jim Douglas in "The Love Bug" and "Herbie Goes to Monte Carlo." The date is a bit outdated.
> 
> Just less then 48 hours ago, we lost a wonderful man to an awful disease. He made us laugh. He made us cry. He made us smile. That man was none other then Dean Jones. He starred in many movies during his life, ranging from "That Darn Cat!" to "The Love Bug." He was such an icon for me growing up. Whenever I watched any of the two Herbie movies he was in, I always smiled. To me, Herbie the Love Bug will always keep his memory alive. Because to us, he wasn't just Herbie's owner. He was a friend.
> 
> We will miss you, Dean Jones. May you find everlasting peace..wherever you are.


	6. A Champion Returns Part 3

Location: Loft

Henry's POV

My grandma was downstairs making tacos for lunch. Mom and Grandpa were discussing rumors of a street race last night.

“So we've got one souped up Mustang down at the Marina Garage and the owner isn't talking.” Grandpa told Mom.

I peered over the railing trying to hear more of what they said. They would kill me if the knew I was in that race. 

“We need to split up and talk to some of Jon Sherman's friends. Someone's got know something.” Mom said. “Hey, kid.” I had been spotted.

“Ah, hi,Mom.”

“Henry, do you know Jon Sherman?”

“Yeah, I've heard of him. Why?”

“His car was found crashed into a tree this morning,” Grandpa replied.

“Some people are saying there was street race late last night.” 

“Henry was home in bed,” Grandma stated. “He wouldn't know anything about it.”

“But he might know some of Sherman's friends.” Mom said.

“Ah, sorry, I don't know who he hangs out with.” I said. It wasn't really a lie since I didn't know who his friends were. 

“Come on, Dad. We've got some investigating to do,” Mom said heading for the door. 

“Wait, I made tacos!” Grandma called. Too late Mom and Grandpa were out the door.

“I hope you're hungry,” Grandma said.

“Sorry, I've got to be somewhere,” I replied grabbing my backpack.

As I walked out the door I heard Grandma say “So why did I make tacos?”

I found Herbie where I had left him behind the building. He was sleeping in the shade. 

“Come on Herbie, wake up. Change of plans we're leaving now.”

If Mom found out we were in the race, I wouldn't be going anywhere for a while. Herbie came to life, quietly revving his engine. I was about to get behind the wheel when I heard Paige call my name.

“Hi, Henry.” she said. She looked so pretty. Her dark blonde hair was pulled back in a pony tail and she was wearing a pink dress.

“Paige. What are you doing here?”

“I wanted to see if you were okay after last night.”

“Yeah, I'm good.”

“That was really weird, wasn't it? I mean, it was almost like your car had a mind of its own.”

“Yeah, that would be weird,” I agreed, chuckling. I rubbed the back of my head.

“What are you going?” Paige asked.

“Um, we're going to a memorial service.”

“Who died? And who's going with you?”

“Um, well.. ok, Paige, you gotta promise me not to tell anyone.”

“I promise. What's going on?” 

“You're going to think I'm crazy, but just hear me out.”

Paige looked nervous, but nodded her head.

“This is Herbie,” I said pointing to the car. “He does have a mind of his own.”

“Wha...”

I put my hand up. “No, I'm serious. I don't know how, but he was the one driving last night. He was owned by a race car driver and I was going to meet him, but he died suddenly. I need to take Herbie to his memorial service.” 

“Okay....” Paige replied. I could tell she didn't believe me. 

Suddenly Herbie's doors flew open and he honked.

“Herbie, meet Paige.” 

“Beep, beep.”

“The car is alive?” Paige sounded skeptical. 

“Yes, but you can't tell anyone.”

“They wouldn't believe me if I did.”

“We've got to get going.” 

“Okay, but please be careful.” Paige said. She then stood on tiptoes and kissed my cheek. “That's for saving me from Jon last night.” Then Paige ran off.

Herbie gave me a wolf whistle.

“Cut it out, Herbie,” I said, but I grinned as I said it. 

I hopped in Herbie and headed for the town line.

Paige POV. Location: On the street by the Blanchard Loft. 

I walked around the building still trying to take in what Henry had told me. I had lived in Storybrooke most of my life and only in the last few years has magic been a part of it. Maybe Herbie was alive by magic. 

As I approached the end of the block a delivery truck pulled up in front of Mary Margaret's loft. A short fat guy jumped out.

“Hey, you, kid!” He shouted at me. 

“Yeah?”

“I got a delivery for a Henry Mills but I'm kind of in a hurry. Do you know him?”

“Yes, I can take it.” I hurried forward to accept it. 

The package was flat and about the size of a laptop. I turned it over in my hands and saw a picture of Henry's car. 

I looked up and down the street. No one was in sight so I took the package and headed home. 

Once I was home I hurried to my room and threw my coat on my bed and tore open the package. There was a letter on top of several newspaper clippings, and article.

Dear Henry, 

I'm writing to you in case we don't meet. I'm glad Herbie has been found. He is a remarkable car. I know he doesn't look like much, but I have won several races with him.”

The letter went on to say how Herbie had found him and changed his life. 

“Please take care of Herbie. Whatever your problem, he'll help you find the answer.”

It was signed Jim Douglas. 

Also enclosed were copies of newspaper articles about all the races Herbie had won. Herbie was real. 

I had been reading some of the articles when my father called me downstairs. As I came down the stairs I heard Father talking to someone. It was Emma Swan. 

“Paige, honey, Ms. Swan has some questions for you.”

“About what?” 

“There was a street race last night. I was told you were there.” 

“Paige?” 

“Um, yes. I was.”

“Paige Elizabeth! What were you thinking? It was Jon, wasn't it? He dragged you out there.”

“Yes, Father.”

My father ran his hand through his hair. A gesture he did when he was upset. 

“Paige,” Ms. Swan continued. “We know Jon Sherman was involved. Apparently he ran into a tree. Do you know who else was there? Who Jon was racing?”

“Um...” 

“Paige, if you know anything, you've got to tell Ms. Swan.” Father stated.

“Um, yes ma'am. Henry was the other driver.” 

“What?” Ms. Swan explained. “My Henry?” 

“Yes, ma'am.” 

“He couldn't have. He was home...” 

Ms. Swan's cell phone rang. 

“Excuse me,” she said as she stepped away.

Father turned to me. “What were you thinking? You do know you're grounded?” 

Ms. Swan stepped back in the room. 

“I'm sorry, but I have to go. Henry is missing.”

Both Ms. Swan and Father looked at me. 

“He went to a memorial service, but I don't know where. But..I think I know who..”

I ran upstairs and grabbed the letter.

“This came for Henry today.”

Emma read the letter.

“So..he left the town? He can't get back then.”

I was shocked.

“What? How?”

“The Snow Queen's Curse. She wanted me and Elsa to stay in Storybrooke and not have a chance to escape. I have to make a call.”

Emma dialed a number.

“Regina?”

“What is it, Swan? I'm doing research on the author. I can't talk right now.”

“Henry's missing. I have a potential lead, but..there's a problem. He...crossed the town line..”

“...What?! Where are you?”

“I'm at Jefferson's house. I was investigating the street race last night. Henry was in it apparently.”

“Stay there. I'm on my way over.”

Emma sighed as Regina hung up the phone. All I could do was hope that Henry was safe.


	7. Operation Mongoose Part 1

Previously..On Wands and Red Cloaks

“Paige. This is Herbie.”

“Henry's missing.”

“Stay there, Swan. I'm on my way over.”

“Henry Daniel Mills, you are so grounded!”

“My heart. It's dying.”

“The Dark One can't die.”

“But Rumpelstiltskin can.”

“I want to find who wrote the book and ask them to write me a happy ending.”

“Now, then. It's time Villains finally win.”

Location: Our World, TV Store, Christmas 1966

Issac's POV

On a color television set near me was a gallant knight riding a horse, and the actor came to a stop as the screen flashed Knight of Valor in Vibracolor. A man and his wife looked at it.

“I don't know. Do we really need color?” asked the man.  
I walked over and smiled.

“Do we really need color?”

I chuckled.

“Do we need to settle for what came before? Don't you want to really want to see the world? It's a complicated place, and people are complex creatures. Their interior lives are painted with many different hues and shades. And the Zenith Marseille Color TV...” I gestured to the TV before continuing.

“...It brings the profound complications of the universe right into your living room.”

The man looked at me weirdly before responding.

“Does it have a clicker?”

I was confused.

“A what?”

“A clicker.”

He gestured with his hand to stimulate a remote.

“You mean the space command remote?” said a voice.

It was my boss. He walked over smiling.

“Why, that's included in the price, Sir.”

“Now we're talking..”

“Hey. Were you a ranger?”

My boss pointed at a shield with a lightning inside tattoo on the man's right forearm. The man smiled.

“Damn, right. 25th Infantry Division. You were in the service?”

“You bet...187th Airborne, Company 'A'. We heard a lot of about your unit. You guys were real heroes. Tell you what...why don't you take this remote for a test drive, huh? See how it feels.”

My boss chuckled, and turned away before jabbing his head towards the office. I smiled one last time at the couple before heading over to my boss.

“What the hell are you doing, Issac, huh? Rambling on about weird technical crap? You're supposed to be selling.”

“I was.”

“No. No. You were sending them across the street to Gimbels. Now I hired you because you said you wanted to be a writer.”

“I am a writer.”

“Stacks of rejected manuscripts in break room don't count. But I figured you know something about telling stories. That's how you sell. But now I get why you don't have a picture on the back of a book yet. You don't tell stories people want.”

My boss walked back to the couple as I looked down on the desk in front of me. As I sorted through the mail, an envelope caught my eye. It was addressed to me from a company called 'Star Publishing.'

“Maybe that's about to change.”

I quickly opened the envelope and read the letter inside. This is what it said:

“Dear Mr. Issac Heller,

We wish to meet you immediately.

From:

Star Publishing”

Smiling to myself, I gathered my things and left the store. A few minutes later, I arrived at the office of Star Publishing. I opened the door and went inside. There was no one there. Only a couple chairs and a desk.

“Hello?”

I looked behind me when suddenly a voice caught my attention.

“Over here.”

I turned around. Sitting in the back behind the desk was a man with a very long beard that kind of reminded me of St. Nicholas. But the man was not portly like St. Nick. Instead, I felt there was some sort of aura around him, which made me slightly nervous.

“Oh. I..I'm Issac Heller.”

“Yes, I know who you are. Please..take a seat.”

I put the letter down on the desk, and sat down. The man continued to put what appeared to fountain pens on the desk. I looked around before I spoke again.

“I've never met a publisher before. I'm not sure exactly how this works. So, you want to publish a book. Is there a contract..”

“You may find that our organization does things a bit..differently,” the man cut in.

Suddenly, he leaned back, and gestured to the pens.

“Choose one.”

I looked down at the pens, before replying.

“Actually, I'm more of an IBM Seletric kind of guy..”

“Choose one..”

“Okay.”

I stood up.

“What is this? Some kind of signing bonus? The last time I got a fountain pen was for my Bar Mitzvah.”

“This is a test. We need to know what kind of writer you really are. Choose the one that calls out to you.”

“Uh..”

I put my hand over the pens. The one in the middle seemed to call out to me. As I picked it up, a tingling went through my hand before it flashed blue, and I dropped it in shock.

“What the hell was that?”

“It is a sign...that you are to be our next author. You see, the last one...he recently just passed away.”

“Author of what?”

The man chuckled softly.

“There is much to explain. How would you like to take a trip?”

“I.I..I'm not so great with traveling. I..I've never been further then Scarsdale.”

“Yes, I know, but that..is about to change.”

The man held out the pen, and I took it from his hands. Suddenly, he raised his hands and did a drawing motion.

“The time has come to stop selling televisions. The time has come to take on the most important job..in all the realms..”

The man walked behind me, and waved his hand. A door that wasn't there before opened, revealing a dirt road with trees alongside of it. A rush of wind filled the room.

“What the hell?”

“You can see that?”

“I see it, but I don't believe it.”

“Actually, the fact you can see it tells me that you do believe.”

“Believe in what?”

“In magic. I think it is time that you find your destiny. Come with me. All of your questions will be answered.”

I smiled happily. I was an Author.

Location: The Sorcerer's Mansion, Book Room, Storybrooke, Maine, Present Day.

Saber's POV

I sighed. Emma, Hook, Mary Margaret, David, Regina, Robin, Henry, and I had been searching for evidence of what the Author was writing, but nothing had been appearing in any of the copies of Henry’s book. I tossed a book to the floor as Regina sighed.

“Nothing. They're all still blank. Whatever the Author is writing, it's not appearing in the books. This is useless.”

She tossed another book to the floor. Robin gently took her hand.

“Easy. This is not your fault.”

I scoffed.

“Says the guy who slept with the Wicked Witch who thought it was his dead wife alive and well. Regina, why didn't you make the Author write Zelena out of the picture? Everything would have been better. Think about it. If Zelena never existed, then she wouldn't have forced Lumiere to make Neal use the key to the vault of the Dark One, and he would still be here. Henry would have his father still! And Gold wouldn't be here to turn Emma dark.”

“Which he failed to,” reminded Mary Margaret.

“Even so, thanks to Gold and the Author, I could wake up a talking frog. And Saber..if you ever mention what my sister did again, I will end you.”

“Like to see you try,” I mumbled.

Hook sighed.

“At least, you'll wake up, Regina. I don't doubt whatever the Dark One had in store for me is a far worse fate.”

David looked up.

“Well, there's no use speculating what he wants. We just need to stop it. And if there's nothing useful here, then we need to move on, find something else that can help.”

“I might know just the thing,” said a voice.

August A.K.A. Adult Pinocchio entered the room. I gasped.

“August..I thought you didn't know anything more about him.”

Emma smiled.

“He doesn't, but he knows someone who does. That's why I called him here.”

“Who?”

“The man who gave him his power..the Apprentice. I met him once when I was living in Phuket. He was the one who told me about the story book, and that I should learn everything about it.”

David looked over.

“If he was in Storybrooke, could you find him?”

“Well, I haven't seen him, but...”

He pulled out a piece of paper and opened it, revealing the drawing of the Apprentice.

“That's what he looks like.”

Hook looked at the paper.

“I know this man.”

“You do?” asked Emma.

“More importantly, I know exactly where to find him.”

Soon, all of us were at the Apprentice's home, staring at the Sorcerer's Hat.

Hook looked at the Hat with regret.

“I trapped him in there. I didn't know.”

Emma gently put her hand on his shoulder.

“It's okay. It was Gold, not you who did it. Blue was in there. She can get him out.”

“Don't you need the Dark One's dagger?”

Mother Superior a.k.a. The Blue Fairy shook her head.

“Well, not if I have something that belonged to the Apprentice.”

Hook grabbed a broom and handed it to her. She placed it next to the hat, and it activated. The room filled with a bright gold light before the Apprentice landed in the rocking chair next to the hat.

Emma looked at him.

“Are you..”

“Yes..And there is no time to waste.”

The Apprentice stood up shakily.

“Issac has abused his power for too long. The time has come to set..”

He looked over at Hook, who bowed his head in shame.

“..Things right.”

“How?” asked Regina.

“By putting him back where he can't harm anyone..in the book. I will need the page with the painted door and the key. We shall return him to his prison. And this time, I would wager..none of you will set him free again. The page?”

Henry looked up.

“It's back in the loft.”

Emma turned to her parents.

“Mom, Dad, Saber, Killian, watch Henry. If Gold's smart, he'll go after the page, too.”

All four of us nodded, and we rushed to the Loft. Me and Henry went upstairs while Hook, Mary Margaret, and David searched Henry's backpack. Suddenly, a bright flash of blue light knocked us out, and was followed by blackness.

I awoke to someone shaking me.

“Saber! Everyone is gone!”

I opened my eyes groggily. Henry was shaking me.

“What happened, Henry?”

“I don't know. We got to figure it out.”

I got to my feet, headed down the stairs and went outside with Henry. The streets were abandoned. Nobody was in sight.

“Hello?!”

My voice echoed through the square.

Suddenly, Henry tugged on my arm.

“Listen.”

A clicking sound could be heard from Mr. Gold's shop. We went inside to find an old record player still on, but not playing anything. Henry turned it off.

I turned to him.

“We need to find everybody. They're obviously not in the town. We have to leave Storybrooke.”

Just then, a whining sound that sounded a car horn was heard.

“Herbie!” gasped Henry.

Henry bolted out the door, and I quickly followed, only to find Henry's Bug, parked out front. Henry was already in the Driver's seat, and was talking to the Bug.

“Henry? What are you doing?”

“Saber, this is Herbie. He's alive.”

“Wait as in human alive?”

“No, he's got a human personality. He has feelings.”

I kneeled next to Herbie.

“Herbie, you're alive?”

Herbie beeped what sounded like a yes, and popped his passenger door open.

“He wants you to get in,” said Henry.

I hopped in, and explained the situation to Herbie. It felt weird talking to a car that had a mind of it's own, but then again, the Weasley family's Ford Anglia was considered to have one too.

“Can you help us, Herbie?

“Meep, meep!”

Suddenly, he lurched forward, popping a wheelie as he sped out of the Town Square. Soon, the three of us crossed the town line, and we raced south.


	8. Operation Mongoose Part 2

Location: Outside a Diner outside of Storybrooke, Time: Present Day

Saber's POV

Henry and I arrived at the diner five miles down the road from Storybrooke.

“So, you'll go in and ask for information on Emma, Regina, Mary Margaret, and David, and I wait here with Herbie, right?”

“Yep.”

Henry hopped out, and went inside. A few minutes later, he came outside with a book in his hands. He quickly jumped into Herbie.

“Step on it!”

Herbie squealed his tires, and took off, racing onto the highway. Henry handed me the book.

“Heroes and Villains?”

“Yeah, check the back.”

I flipped the book over, and growled under my breath.

“Issac. How do we find him?”

“He's having a book signing in New York.”

“Henry, that's hours away. We'll never make it in time.”

“Yes, we will. Herbie, take that shortcut.”

“What shortcu..ahh!”

Herbie swerved off the road, went through a field and onto the interstate. Once I regained my senses, I turned to Henry.

“Never do that again.”

It was night when we arrived in New York. Henry and I got out of Herbie. He beeped in confusion.

Henry knelt in front of him.

“Herbie, can you go back to Storybrooke? We need somebody there in case everyone comes back. Also, stay under the speed limit.”

Herbie dipped his bumper and started his engine before he pulled out of his parking space, and disappeared within the traffic.

I sighed.

“We're on our own.”

We turned and headed inside where Issac was giving his speech. I quietly snarled under my breath. I really wanted to turn into my wolf form and tear Issac to shreds, but we needed answers first. Soon, the crowd lined up for the book signing and we got in line. Then it was our turn. Henry slid the page with the painted door and the key in front of him.

He gasped.

“What are you doing here?”

“What did you do with our family? Where are they?”

“I, uh..I have no idea what your talking about.”

I leaned forward, transforming my hands into partial claws to prove a point.

“No, you're lying. You know what that page does, so you either give us answers, or Henry opens that door again, and you get a whole new ending.”

Soon, the three of us were in a back room talking. Issac walked over.

“Okay. Much to the chagrin of my publicist, you have my undivided attention.”

I turned to him.

“Where's our family?”

“You really want to know? Look around you..they're all right here..in my best selling book.”

Henry turned to Issac.

“What does that mean? Are they still alive?”

He held up the page of the door, and put the key near it. Issac put his hands up.

“Tut..tut...tut...tut...tut. Easy with the key, cowboy. Your families are fine. If you want to get technical...”

He reached into his saddlebag, and pulled out a book that looked very much like Henry's except it was black, and had in silver lettering on it “Heroes and Villains.”

“...they're in here. See? The original copy of my book..the one I always wanted to write. They all live in here now in kind of..alternate reality.”

I turned to Issac.

“What about my kids? And Red?”

“Let's see, um..your kids..well, they were never born in this book because you weren't there for Red...”

In my anger, I transformed into my wolf form, and slammed him against the wall, growling madly.

Henry pulled me back and then held up the page.

“Bring them back or I use this.”

“I can't. I don't have the power anymore. The cardinal rule of the authors is, “Don't write your own happy ending.” As you can see...I broke that rule by writing the book. So, this..”

He pulled out the quill.

“..it's just a pen now. And me? Ohh. Well, I'm nothing more than a best selling writer with legions of fans, and a penthouse over Central Park.”

Henry frowned and tried to grabbed the book.

“If you can't get them out, then give me the book, and I will.”

Issac took the book, and laughed.

“You? Do you know why you're still out here, kid? Because you're not from a magical world. So take it from me..you will never be a knight in shining armor. You're just a poor innocent child who needs saving. So, why don't you put the key away, and, uh, stick to the role you're best at?”

As Issac walked away, Henry tackled him to the ground, ripping the book from his hands and quickly opened it, turning the pages. I transformed back, and held my wand at Issac.

“Don't move.”

Issac looked at me, then Henry.

“Now what? You're going to tear up the book?”

Henry stopped on a page, and shoved the key down, causing a golden light to appear.

“Wait! Don't be stupid!”

But Henry turned the key, and the light grew brighter, blinding my sight, forcing me to cover my eyes. Suddenly, I hit something that felt like dirt.

“Henry?”

I opened my eyes and slowly stood up. I was home. Sort of. Henry was nearby looking at all the stuff in wonder.

“I've never thought I'd see this place again. Though I want to go back to my old home. Back in the real book.”

Henry dug through the dirt, and found a rusted sword. Lifting it up with some difficulty, he held it high.

“Cool.”

“Feel like a real hero now?”

We both turned around to see Issac.

“Don't get used to it.”

Before we could hit him, he hit us with a shield and then...darkness. A few minutes later, I woke up tied to a wagon that was on it's side. Issac was next to me and Henry.

“So now the three of us are trapped in the book. Congratulations. Let me tell you about this place. It's cold, there's no running water, and things are always trying to kill you.”

I rolled my eyes.

“I already knew this, duh. Now let us go.”

“Not a chance. This book we're in, it's worked out quite nicely for me. I don't need you two runing around changing things. This is my story. And no hero gets a happy ending.”

Henry gasped in surprise.

“Why? Would that somehow destroy the book? That's what you're afraid of. Isn't it?”

“Doesn't matter. You brought us into the final chapter.”

“How do you know,” I asked.

“I know, because I wrote it. And I know how it ends..with the loud tolling of bells at sunset. When you hear that sound, it'll mean we reached the last page. The book will end, and everything will remain exactly how I wrote it.”

Just then I heard loud footsteps, and roaring. I knew what it was.

“Oh, no.”

Issac smiled as an ogre came stomping into the village. 

“There we are. Right on time.”

“What is that?”

“It's an ogre attack, Henry,” I replied as I strained against the ropes.

Issac smiled even more.

“And you know what they say...you don't have to be faster then the ogre. You just have to be faster then the next guy.”

Issac turned and left as the Ogre came to us. I strained the ropes to reach my wand which was laying in the dirt.

“I can get us free if I can just reach my wand!”

Just then I saw a knight on horseback charging up the hill towards us. With a blast of magic from his hand, the ogre fell down, and went still. Villagers, who were hiding in they're huts came out to see what had happened. 

“The monster is dead! The ogre slayer saved us!”

A middle-aged woman came up to the knight.

“Thank you. Is there anything my family and I can do to repay you...”

The man pushed his visor up, revealing a face I didn't want to see at the moment. It was Rumpelstiltskin. Except, he wasn't green or scaly.

“Good deeds have their own reward. This.. comes with no price.”

Henry was shocked. With a wave of his hand, Henry and I were freed from our restraints and I grabbed my wand, shoving it up my jacket sleeve in case we needed it.

“Are you all right, you two? What's your names?”

Henry shook himself out of his shock.

“Henry.. and that is Saber.”

I waved nervously.

Rumple smiled.

“I am Rumpelstiltskin, a knight at your service. Do you have any family around here?”

I nodded.

“Yeah.”

“Then I suggest you both run home to your supper's cause I...I have another village to save.”

He pulled down his visor and took off on his horse. After he was gone, Henry pulled out the copy of the Heroes and Villains.

“Issac said we're in the last chapter, right?”

“Yeah, why?”

Henry scrolled through the book rapidly.

“Mom..I know where she is.”

“Emma?”

“No, my other mom.” 

“Oh, right, Regina. I forgot. Everything's backwards. Mary Margaret is the Evil Queen, and which in that case, Red is...oh.”

“Hey, Saber. We'll fix this, okay? Come on.”

Sighing deeply, I followed Henry into the forest. As we searched for Regina's hideout, Henry read the book to guide us through the traps that Regina laid out, and soon we arrived at her front door, which was just a hole in a log.

“Hello?!” called Henry.

“Turn around slowly.”

We did as told, and there stood Regina in the outfit Snow usually wore when we were on the run from Regina when she was the Evil Queen. She had bow and arrow pointed at us with arrow pulled back.

“Who are you two? What do you want?”

Henry took a deep breath.

“My name is Henry..and I'm your son.”

Regina's eyebrows twitched with confusion, and she slowly put down her bow.

“Get inside.”

Soon, we were sitting around a fire barrel in the treehome. Henry was telling her what was happening. She was thinking we were probably out of our minds and that we belonged in the loony bin.

“But I'm telling you..”

“That we're trapped inside a book?”

“Yeah.”

“And I'm supposed to live in a place called Maine? Where I became your adopted mother after someone named Emma gave you up?”

The two continued talking before Regina put her knife to Henry's throat. I couldn't pull my wand out and risk Henry getting hurt.

“Who sent you?”

“Mom, please Nobody sent me.”

“Stop calling me that! Are you working for the Queen?”

“No, I'm trying to help you.”

“Help me what?”

“Find your happy ending. In Saber and I's world we called it Operation Mongoose.”

Regina chuckled before pulling the knife away, and I released a breath I didn't know I was holding.

“That's is a very silly name.”

“Well, it was your idea.”

“You two actually believe this. So, you two are crazy.”

“We're not and I can prove it.”

Henry pulled out the Heroes and Villains book.

“This is a copy of the book we're trapped in.”

“Let me see that.”

Regina grabbed the book, and read it. She laughed.

“This..”

Regina went quiet before speaking again with a slightly freaked out tone.

“This says I'm.. going to rob a royal tax carriage today to buy passage out of the kingdom.”

Regina closed the book and turned around to face us.

“How did the book know all that? It can see my future?”

I shrugged.

“Something like that.”

“Then I don't want any part of it.”

She then tossed the book into the fire. Henry tried to grab the book, but only managed to get a page. We turned around to see Regina leaving the tree, and we followed after her.

“Regina!”

“Don't follow me. Whatever world you think you're from, go back there.”

Henry shook his head.

“We can't..not until you find true love.”

“Ha..then you're stuck. Never gonna happen for me.”

“His name is Robin Hood. I-I think the only way for us to escape this book is for you to find him in a tavern and kiss him. True love's kiss..it can fix anything.”

Regina laughed really loudly before turning around to face us.

“Wow. You are crazy. If I ever meet Robin Hood in person, the only thing he gets,, is a broken nose.”

I was confused.

“What? What do you mean?”

Henry nodded.

“What are you talking about?”

“He's my competition. Every robbery I plan, he beats me to it. He's the reason I'm stuck in this kingdom. Why am I still talking to you?”

“Cause I'm your son.”

“Look, kid. If you read about me in that book, you know I got to go. The Queen wants me dead. She thinks I ruined her life.”

“Did you?”

Regina paused and took in a deep breath.

“Yes. So..if it's happy endings you're after, look some place else.”

Regina turned and continued on walking, leaving us behind.

I groaned.

“We're never going to fix things.”

“Yeah, we will. I got a plan.”

“And pray tell, what is this plan?”

A few hours later, we were sitting outside a Tavern.

“Is this...?”

“Yep, Robin's Tavern.”

“Oh. So, what are we waiting for?”

Just then Regina stepped out of the tavern and walked over.

“Mom.”

Regina groaned.

“You have to stop calling me that. How do you two keep finding me, anyway?”

“I figured if my plan worked, you'd be in Sherwood Forest with Robin Hood.”

“I hate to break it to you, but Robin's already found his true love. And..”

She turned Henry and I around to make us look in the Tavern.

“..They're getting married...today.”

She shoved us forward, and we saw Zelena kissing Robin.

“No, no. This is all wrong. That's Zelena, your siste..”

But Regina was already gone. We ran after her.

“Wait. You have to listen to me.”

“I heard enough. I don't have a sister. My mother abandoned me when I was a baby.”

“No, you're mother abandoned Zelena.”

I nodded.

“Everything's been flipped. This must be Zelena's happy ending.”

“Look, I have to go. And you should, too. Snow White's looking for you two.”

Henry stopped her.

“Wait..you can't tell me that you didn't feel anything when you met Robin Hood.”

Regina looked down before Henry continued.

“See? That's proof. He's your true love.”

“No. It's proof that I'm not the kind of person that gets a happy ending. I'll never have true love. But you two..you gave me the worst thing you can give anyone. Hope. Now, I'd like to get far enough away that I don't have to hear Robin and Zelena's wedding bells to proclaim they're love.

I gasped.

“Wedding bells? The tolling of bells at sunsets. We can stop the ending from becoming real forever. We have to stop the wedding.”

Henry agreed with me. Regina sighed, and put her hand on his shoulder.

“Look...you seem like a nice boy. And clearly you believe all this..nonsense. But didn't you say I was your adopted mother? That you have another mother out there, named, uh..Emma? So, if you want help you should by find her.”

“We tried. She wasn't in the book And if she were, believe me, you'd know. She's the most powerful sorceress there is.”

“The only sorceress in this land is Snow White.”

“She's more powerful then her. She has, uh, special magic.”

“Special magic?”

“In out world, she was called The Savior.”

Regina's eyes flashed with recognition before she replied.

“Never heard of her..”

Henry grabbed her shoulder as she turned away.

“Mom. No, I know that face. What aren't you telling me?”

Regina sighed.

“There were rumors once of a woman who called herself that. The Savior.”

Henry smiled as did I. There was still hope.

“Issac lied. He couldn't write her out of the story. Where can I find her?”

Regina frowned.

“You can't. Snow White locked her up years ago. No one has set eyes on her since. The prison she's in is impenetrable.

Location: The Bottomless Sea, Emma's Prison, Time: Present.

3rd Person POV 

A woman in a dark blue dress sat cross-legged in a tower on island out in the middle of the Bottomless Sea. Suddenly, she stood up and was gasping hysterically before letting out a scream.


	9. Operation Mongoose Part 3

Location: The Enchanted Forest, The Docks

Saber's POV

Me and Henry were walking through the Docks, trying to find the Jolly Roger. If it was here, so was Hook. Soon, we found it. As we stepped onto the decks, Henry shouted.

“Ahoy! Is anyone here?!”

“Careful, you two.”

Hook stepped out from behind the ships wheel.

“Nobody steps aboard the Jolly Roger's decks without an invitation from it's captain first.”

I chuckled.

“You gonna makes us walk the plank?”

“Depends on why you're here.”

“We need a ship to take us to the Bottomless Sea.”

“Now, those are treacherous waters. There must be something of great value there to be worth taking the risk.”

Henry smiled and gave Hook a piece of parchment with a map on it.

“Someone. Her name is Emma. She's my mom. And she was put there by the Queen.”

“Well, then, I'm sorry for you. Even if I wanted to, I can't help you.”

“Why? You're a captain. Can't you take your ship wherever you want?”

Just then a laugh was heard. Henry and I turned around to see Blackbeard.

“A captain? Is that who he says he is? I thought I told you to be done swabbing the deck when I return.”

Hook nodded nervously.

“I'm sorry, Captain Blackbeard.”

I was shocked. 

“He's the captain?”

“Indeed. Unless deckhand Hook wants to keep playing pretend? What do you say, Hook? Beat me, and the Jolly Roger is yours.”

Blackbeard drew his sword.

“Or are you still a one-handed coward?”

Hook immediately retreated and began to scrub the deck. Henry must have been as shocked as I was.

“What are you doing?! Stand up to him! You can beat him!”

Hook stood up, and shook his head.

“I'm afraid you don't know me very well. I'm sorry. I can't help you.”

Sighing with a deep breath, I slid my wand out of my boot as Blackbeard put his sword away.

“Then we'll have to help you. Stupefy!”

The bright familiar red light hit Blackbeard, and knocked him out cold. Hook came scrambling up to us.

“What the bloody hell are you doing?!”

Henry sighed.

“Getting you your ship back. Come on. Let's dump Blackbeard and go.”

“You think it's that easy? I can't sail the Jolly Roger alone.”

“I can help.”

“How do you know how to sail a ship?”

“I had a great teacher. You.”

We dumped Blackbeard off, and set off. Soon, we had a full head of sail, and were heading towards the prison. Soon, I got sight of it. Deciding to be a bit cheeky, I called down to Hook from the crow's nest.

“Land ahoy, Cap'n!”

Ignoring my playful jesters, Hook looked through his spyglass.

“There's a Black Knight standing guard.”

Henry smiled.

“Only one. We can take him out.”

“Well, perhaps you hadn't noticed, but I'm a deckhand, not a soldier.”

“Then maybe we don't need to fight.”

Soon, we dropped anchor, and rowed to shore. Henry had a bag over his head, and ropes seemingly tying his wrist together. As we entered the prison, I was behind Henry pushing him along with the tip of my wand at his back.

“Don't worry. It's all for show.”

Henry could only nod slowly. As we rounded the corner, the Black Knight spotted us, and was prepared to draw his sword, but Hook stopped him.

“We're here on official business for the Queen, delivering a dangerous prisoner from the Kingdom of Kashyyyk.”

The Knight pulled the bag off Henry's head. As he looked over him, Henry pulled Hook's sword straight up, and hit the Knight in the face, knocking him out.

Hook smiled.

“Well done, Lad.”

“The Wookie Prisoner gag...it always works.”

“The what?” asked Hook, confused.

I chuckled.

“Never mind that, Hook. Come on. Let's get the guard stashed. Henry, go get your mom.”

Henry grabbed the keys and ran up the stairs as Hook and I put the guard into the cell.

“This guy feels lighter then a Black Knight usually weighs.”

Hook raised an eyebrow.

“How would you know that?”

“I did my time thieving, and carrying Black Knights around.”

“Oh.”

As we finished locking the knight up, we headed back towards the stairs when Emma and Henry came down, and Emma bumped into Hook. She gazed into his eyes happily.

Henry came forward.

“Killian, this is my mom. Mom, Killian.”

Hook stared at Emma before snapping out of his daze.

“Uh..Pleasure.”

He held out his hand for her to shake. She shook it nervously, slightly upset that Hook didn't remember who she was.

“Yeah, right. Look we need to..get going. We've got a wedding to stop.”

All four of us rushed out of the prison and climbed back on board the Jolly Roger. Soon, we were underway. Emma was talking to Hook.

“Thank you for your help, Killian.”

“Uh, yeah, of course. I'm please you regained your, uh, your freedom.”

“Me too. Unfortunately, it's not gonna last unless we put some distance between that tower and us before the guard wakes up.”

“Why?”

I jumped down from the crow's nest, swinging down by rope, and landing on the deck.

“It wasn't an ordinary Black Knight.”

Emma nodded.

“Saber's right. Her name is Lily..she's dangerous.”

Hook was confused.

“I don't understand. What's the problem with this Lily?”

Suddenly the castle wall exploded. Brickwork and stone fell down as a black shape flew out of the castle. I gasped in shock.

“She's a dragon!”

Emma turned to Henry.

“Henry! Get below deck now! Saber go with him.”

I nodded and dove below deck. A few moments passed we heard a cannon fire, something screeching, and a big splash! Emma and Hook defeated the dragon. As Henry and I came up on deck, we saw Hook and Emma talking closely to each other.

Emma called to us.

“We're heading back to port! Give us hand you two.”

“Aye, Captain Swan!”

I climbed out of the hold and got to work, laughing the whole way back.

Location: Dockside Village

Once we returned, Henry and I went to get some food while Emma taught Hook how to use a sword. As we round the corner, we stopped, and I drew out my wand. There stood Lily, Mary Margaret, David, Grumpy, a few black knights and Red. I gasped. Her hood was over her head and her yellow eyes flashed.

“Red...no...”

Mary Margaret smiled evilly at Henry and me.

“My, my. I am going to enjoy watching him die in front of his mother. And I'm so going to enjoy killing that wizard. You do a relationship with my wolf, am I correct?”

Red glanced at her leader. Relationship? She didn't even recognize the man next to Henry.

Hook whispered into Emma's ear.

“Save Henry.”

“Killian, you can't beat them.”

“If I can help return things to how they were meant to be, then what happens to me here won't matter, will it? Now go. Save your boy.”

Emma ran back to Henry as I went forward to defend the line with Hook.

“Just like old times, buddy.”

Hook hit a support beam to a shelf of flour which knocked out Grumpy, Lily, and the black knights. David drew his sword.

“Is she worth your life, pirate?”

Hook sighed.

“I'm willing to find out.”

Soon, the two began to fight as Red dropped her cloak, and transformed into her wolf form. I transformed as well and we began to fight. But with the tables turned against the former heroes, she began to overpower me. It was a matter of do or die.

“I'm sorry, Red.”

A silent tear rolled from my eye, and I bit down hard on her neck. With a loud yelp of pain, she fell limp, and I let go as Hook was stabbed David. I heard Emma scream. Red transformed back, blood pooling underneath her. Turning my eyes away from the site, I ran as a fireball scorched my fur, causing me to hiss in pain. Soon, I reunited with Emma, and Henry.

Henry came over to me as I held my head in my hands.

“We'll get her back. We'll get Hook back too.”

“But what if we fail, Henry? I couldn't live with myself. I need to be alone.”

I shifted and went to a clearing. Look up into the sky, I howled as loud as I could in agony.


	10. Operation Mongoose Part 4

Location: Regina's Hideout

Saber's POV

A couple of hours later, Henry, Emma and I went to find Regina. She was at her hideout.

Henry called out.

“Mom!”

Regina jumped before turning around to face us.

“I knew you'd still be here.”

“You two again? Listen I..I don't have time for stories. I need to hit the road before the Evil Queen has my head.

“Wait. We brought someone else this time. Maybe you'll listen to her.”

Emma gave down into the hideout.

“Regina..”

Regina smiled.

“Let me guess..you're his other mother.”

“Emma.”

Regina chuckled.

“I have to give you two credit. Breaking her out of that tower couldn't have been easy.”

Emma sighed.

“Henry, Saber, could you give us a minute?”

I nodded.

“Sure.”

Me and Henry went out of the hideout and waited. Soon, the two arrived and were ready to go.

I turned to Regina.

“Do you have a bow and arrow?”

“Yeah, why?”

I went into the hideout and grabbed it. Soon, I came back out, the bow over my left shoulder.

“Let's go stop a wedding.”

We hurried in the direction of the church where the wedding of Robin Hood and Zelena was taking place. Soon, we arrived.

Henry looked up at the church bells.

“We haven't heard the wedding bells yet. There's still time.”

Regina sighed nervously, rubbing her hand together.

“I don't know what to say to him.”

Emma sighed.

“I think in this case, actions speak louder then words..”

I raised an eyebrow.

“What kind of case would that be? If you mean a crazed Author who basically trapped all of our friends and family in a book, made them evil and the only way to break it is true love's kiss, then yeah, I'd say you have the right idea.”

Emma gave me a look as Henry spoke up.

“Once you and Robin Hood share true love's kiss, everything should be great again.”

Regina nodded.

“Okay.”

Emma smiled softly, and Regina looked at her.

“What?”

“You don't remember this, but I promised you once, I'd help you find your happy ending. I'm just glad I'm here to see it. You got this, Regina.”

Suddenly a voice spoke up. One I prayed I would never hear again.

“I'm afraid none of you are crashing this wedding...Dearies..”

It was Rumpelstiltskin. He drew his sword as did Emma.

“Go. I got the Dark One.”

Regina ran passed Rumple as I pulled Henry back to protect him. Rumple and Emma started to fight.

“Dark One? I'm afraid you have the wrong name, Dearie. I'm the Light One.”

Emma frowned.

“We'll see about that.”

As Emma and Rumple fought, I stood on edge. Then Rumple shoved Emma back with a blast of light magic, knocking her out. I grabbed Emma's sword, but I was knocked back by another blast of magic, causing me to see stars. After I recovered, I heard Emma shout followed by bells. I quickly sat up, and saw the church bell swing back and forth. We were too late.

Soon, the massive wedding parade came out. Robin came out along with Zelena.

“Regina!”

He quickly ran to her side, followed by Zelena.

“Robin? What's going on? Oh! Oh, now I got blood on my dress!”

“Can't you see she's injured?”

“But this is supposed to be my day! And she's ruined it.”

She looked down at her hand in fright, before running into the church. I chuckled.

“Always green with envy.”

As Robin talked to Regina, I heard a voice.

“Too little, too late.”

It was Issac. I turned around and punched his as hard as I could in the face.

“Then you're going to change things. Return them to the way they were. Bring back Red. Bring back Hook. Save Regina.”

“I can't. I'm not the Author anymore. I can't change a thing.”

Meanwhile, Henry stood up and walked over to the Author's knapsack, picking up the quill and notebook. The quill glowed a bright blue.

Emma gasped.

“Whoa..kid. What the hell?”

Issac gasped.

“No..it can't be.”

I turned to him.

“What is happening?”

“He's the next Author.”

The quill stopped glowing.

Henry gasped.

“I..I can feel it.”

I smiled.

“Henry. Fix it. Write everything the way it was.”

Issac shook his head.

“Without ink, he's not writing anything.”

Emma grabbed her sword, putting it to her hand.

“My blood. It was supposed to work last time.”

Henry shook his head.

“Yes, when mixed with darkness, but you're not the Savior here. Because of him.”

Issac smirked.

“But that doesn't mean we didn't find one..” said Henry.

Issac smirk started to turn into a worried look.

“And in this world we don't need a dark Savior. We need a light one.”

Henry rushed over to Regina.

“Hold on, mom.”

Issac rushed forward to try to get to Henry.

“No, don't!”

Emma and I stopped him.

“Henry, do it!”

Henry dipped the quill into some of the blood on Regina's hand, and began to write.

“Thank to the hero Regina's sacrifice, Issac's villainous work was undone.”

A bright flash of light engulfed us. I awoke on cold hard cement. We were back.

As I sat up, I saw Regina was hugging Henry, and Emma was running towards the Loft. I gasped.

“Red.”

I got to my feet and ran as fast as I could to Granny's. Throwing the front door open, I called out.

“Red!”

Soon, a black wolf ran down the stairs, and tackled me. It suddenly transformed.

“Daddy!”

“Anita!”

I hugged my daughter tightly.

“I missed you so much, sweetheart! Where's you're mother?”

“Saber!”

I stood up and saw Red. She was alive and full of life. I quickly hugged her.

“I'm so sorry..”

“It's okay. I understood why you killed me in the alternate book. You saved me though. You brought me back. To our daughter..and our son. And to you.”

I pressed my lips to hers and held it for what seemed a lifetime, but it was worth it. I had my family back, and everything felt right with the world. Little did I know, we had more trouble brewing in one pawnshop down the road from us.

Location: Main Street, Time: Late Evening

Me and Red were taking a late night stroll when we found Emma, Hook, Mary Margaret, and David standing in the street. Herbie was parked nearby, and was beeping loudly. He was scared. I quickly went over to him.

“Herbie? What's wrong?”

Herbie whined even louder as Regina and Robin came over.

“What's going on?”

Hook looked over.

“The Dark One..it's no longer tethered to the Crocodile.”

“What?! Where the hell is it?”

We all looked around nervously. I gingerly pulled out my wand.

Emma spoke up.

“It hasn't gone anywhere. The darkness..it's surrounding us.”

Suddenly, tendrils of darkness shot straight down and surrounded Regina.

Robin turned to Emma.

“What's it doing?!”

“What darkness does..it's snuffing out the light.”

“Well I'm not going to let it.”

Robin charged at the darkness, but was knocked back.

Emma shouted.

“That's not going to work on this thing! The Apprentice told me we have to do what the Sorcerer did! We have to tether to a person to contain it!”

Emma charged forward, the Dark One dagger in her hand.

Mary Margaret cried out.

“Emma!”

Regina shook her head.

“No! There has to be another way.”

“There isn't. You've worked too hard to have your happiness destroyed.”

David called out.

“No!”

Emma turned to her parents.

“You figured out how to take the darkness out of me once. You need to do it again..as heroes..”

Hook rushed forward.

“Emma! Emma, please! No. Don't do this.”

Emma looked deep into his eyes.

“I love you.”

She pushed her forehead against his, before she pushed him away, and shoved the dagger into the Darkness surrounding Regina. As the darkness consumed her, she looked at her loved ones before a bright flash of light appeared and she vanished. The Dark One's dagger landed on the ground with a loud clink with two words engraved in the metal. Emma Swan.


End file.
